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What are the Best Dental Chews for Dogs on the Market?
On this page, we’ve pulled together a list, with the help of our in-house pet nutritionist Laura Ward, of the best dental chews you can buy your dog.
We can’t analyze dog dental chews in the same way we analyze dog food so we’ve tried to keep the chews as healthy and natural as possible — avoiding nasty artificial additives and preservatives while making sure they’re still effective in keeping your dog’s teeth clean.
Are Dental Chews Good For My Dog?
Dental chews are formulated for their dental health function, so they are not designed as a substitute to dog food, and should be eaten in moderation. Some dental chews claim to have added health benefits such as promoting skin health or aiding digestion, but generally, they contain a high calorie content and are not nutritionally balanced. Over-consumption of any chew or treat, can lead to obesity and other health complications.
As with dog treats, dental chews can contain controversial ingredients, which is why we have put together a list of safer recommendations. Some of these may contain ingredients which we usually highlight as being controversial, but these provide the important dental health function needed for a dental chew such as plaque removal.
Do Dog Dental Chews Work?
Our founder, Dr. Mike Sagman, was a dentist and he knew the importance of doggy dental care. Dogs want to be able to chew bones, destroy fluffy rabbit toys and wow people with their adorable smiles — and they need a healthy set of gnashers to do this.
It’s vital you clean your dog’s teeth or get them cleaned professionally because poor dental hygiene can lead to a host of health problems, not to mention the infamous ‘dog breath’.
Dog dental chews help to scrape away plaque and tartar. They can’t replace teeth cleaning but dental chews are an excellent day-to-day addition to your dog’s dental care routine.
(By the way, dry dog food does not clean your dog’s teeth — that’s a myth.)
Here are our choices for the Best Dental Chews for Dogs. We hope they put a smile on your — and your dog’s — face.
Please note: Some of our recommendations may contain ingredients which we usually highlight as being controversial, but these provide the important dental health function needed for a dental chew.
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Wellness Whimzees Natural Dental Treats
These dental treats are available in a range of sizes to suit dogs of all breeds. They are designed with shapes and textures that help stimulate gums, reduce plaque and tartar, and freshen bad breath to promote better oral health. These chews are made from all-natural ingredients, including powdered cellulose, which helps polish your dog's teeth.
Wellness Whimzees Natural Dental Treats -
Blue Buffalo - Dental Chews with Chicken & Spearmint Flavor
Blue Buffalo Dental Bones are rawhide-free dental chews designed to help your dog freshen their breath and eliminate tartar. These natural treats are enriched with vitamins and minerals and come in a variety of sizes to suit dogs of all sizes.
Blue Buffalo - Dental Chews with Chicken & Spearmint Flavor -
ProDen PlaqueOff Soft Chews
These veterinarian-recommended soft chews are suitable for small and medium breed dogs. They are made with Scandinavian kelp, which helps reduce plaque and tartar, thus improving bad breath.
ProDen PlaqueOff Soft Chews
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PetHonesty Hemp Calming Fresh Sticks
PetHonesty uses a natural blend of ingredients such as hemp, melatonin, and chamomile to help calm your pup. The product is designed with ridges and a special texture to brush off plaque and tartar; suitable for dogs of all sizes.
PetHonesty Hemp Calming Fresh Sticks -
Fruitables BioActive Fresh Mouth Dental Dog Treats
These dental chews have a textured surface that allows your pup's teeth to sink in, scrubbing and polishing the whole tooth. With high-quality ingredients, including decaffeinated green tea and parsley to fight bad breath, alongside organic Icelandic kelp for phytonutrients and calcium to keep teeth strong. Suitable for medium-sized dogs.
Fruitables BioActive Fresh Mouth Dental Dog Treats
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Ollie Dental Chews with Parlsey & Cinnamon
Ollie uses high-quality ingredients in these chews, uniquely shaped to encourage chewing to clean teeth and gums and with parsley and cinnamon for fresh breath. For medium-sized dogs. (Please note: These treats are only available with a food subscription)
Ollie Dental Chews with Parlsey & Cinnamon -
ProDen PlaqueOff System Dental Care Bones
Turn treat time into teeth-cleaning time. This product is made from natural sea kelp and algae to help clean teeth, reduce tartar, and freshen breath. For medium-sized dogs.
ProDen PlaqueOff System Dental Care Bones -
Ark Naturals Brushless Toothpaste Dental Dog Treats
These are 4-in-1 dental chews for medium-sized dogs. The unique texture helps fight plaque and tartar, while the ridges promote healthy teeth and gums. The center of the chew is filled with toothpaste to polish your pup’s teeth and include aromatic spices for fresher breath.
Ark Naturals Brushless Toothpaste Dental Dog Treats -
Yummy Combs Ingenious Oral Care Flossing Treats
These treats are specially crafted for medium-breed adult dogs and are made without gluten, grain, or GMOs! All-natural dog dental treats made with 44% protein to help floss and scrub your dog’s teeth down to the gumline.
Yummy Combs Ingenious Oral Care Flossing Treats
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Jinx Dental Treats
Jinx dental chews are expertly formulated for larger dogs, with deep grooves to help fight tartar and plaque buildup. They are hard chews designed to be a longer-lasting snack, made with quality ingredients and without any corn, wheat, soy, fillers, chicken by-products, or artificial preservatives.
Jinx Dental Treats -
Crumps’ Naturals Plaque Busters with Pumpkin Spice Dental Sticks
These dental chews are made with ground oyster shells to help remove plaque, sweet potato for beta-carotene, and pumpkin spice for flavor. The limited ingredients are all-natural and contain no artificial nasties. Designed for all ages and sizes.
Crumps’ Naturals Plaque Busters with Pumpkin Spice Dental Sticks
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Bark Bright Durable Dental Chews
Designed with smaller dogs in mind, these textured chews help to clean teeth and massage gums. They are made with premium ingredients, including peppermint, parsley and turmeric, to freshen breath.
Bark Bright Durable Dental Chews -
Merrick Fresh Kisses All Natural Double-Brush
A double brush design to fight plaque and tartar build-up for your small dog, this easily digestible chew includes mint for fresh breath.
Merrick Fresh Kisses All Natural Double-Brush
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Blue Wilderness Trail Treats Wild Bones Grain-Free Large Dental Chews
Large bone-shaped dental treats designed to promote chewing for healthier teeth, gums, and fresher breath. Crafted from wholesome ingredients with no corn, soy, wheat, poultry by-products, artificial flavors, or preservatives.
Blue Wilderness Trail Treats Wild Bones Grain-Free Large Dental Chews -
Whimzees By Wellness Alligator Dental Chews
A healthy dental chew for larger dogs. The uniquely designed knobbly shape ensures proper blood flow through the gums to prevent bad breath and tartar buildup. It is produced sustainably with no artificial ingredients, colors, flavors, preservatives, GMOs, gluten, or meat.
Whimzees By Wellness Alligator Dental Chews
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Pawstruck Natural Dental Chews
Natural and simple, limited ingredient chews. The unique ridges and nodules help keep your dog’s breath fresh in between brushings, control plaque, and break down nasty tartar that may cause dental issues such as gingivitis, inflammation, and tooth loss.
Pawstruck Natural Dental Chews -
Minties Medium Dental Treats
These chews are made with five natural breath fresheners: alfalfa, peppermint, parsley, fennel, and dill. Their unique shape helps to scrape away plaque and tartar, maintaining oral health between brushings.
Minties Medium Dental Treats -
Bocce’s Brushy Sticks Dental Bars Coconut & Mint Recipe
All natural and simple recipes with 100% real ingredients that help to promote dental health and freshen breath.
Bocce’s Brushy Sticks Dental Bars Coconut & Mint Recipe
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Dr. Marty Better Life Chews 4-in-1 Dental Care
A textured dental scrub designed to manage plaque and tartar. Additionally, the chews contain enzymes and probiotics to promote a healthy digestive tract for your pups.
Dr. Marty Better Life Chews 4-in-1 Dental Care -
Shameless Pets The Tooth Berry with Real Blueberry and Mint
Dental dog treats that are designed to help promote fresh breath and are packed with antioxidants to support your pup's immune system.
Shameless Pets The Tooth Berry with Real Blueberry and Mint -
Chewsday Cinnamon Clean Daily Dental Dog Chews
A dental chew with textured nubbins that aid in cleaning teeth and provide a better grip. The chews are crafted from easily digestible ingredients such as potato starch, rice flour, vegetable glycerin, sweet potato flour, ginger, and cinnamon, which can help promote a healthy stomach. Suitable for dogs of all sizes.
Chewsday Cinnamon Clean Daily Dental Dog Chews
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Best Dental Treats for Dogs
Best Dog Chews
Best Dog Teeth Cleaning Treats
Best Long Lasting Chews
Best Dental Chews For Small Dogs
Best Dental Chews For Large Dogs
Best Natural Dental Chews For Dogs
Best Dental Chews For Dogs With Sensitive Stomachs
Final word
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